If you’re a fan of frozen veggies, we have good news for you. Along with being fun to grow, peppers are a great vegetable to freeze! Do you want to know how to freeze peppers?
The best way to freeze peppers is to cut them up and then freeze them on a sheet before placing them in a freezer bag. Freezing them on a sheet first will prevent them from sticking together in the freezing process. Likewise, cutting them up first will make them easy to cook with. You don’t have to defrost frozen peppers before cooking with them.
Keep reading for four tried-and-true methods of freezing peppers.
Do peppers freeze well?
First off, are peppers even worth freezing?
Peppers freeze well. They will lose some of their crispness but maintain their flavor and can last for over a year in the freezer! Cooking them before freezing them will add extra flair and give you a head start for when you use your frozen peppers. No need to defrost – throw them in the dish and cook!
Peppers freeze well. It’s essential to be aware that peppers will lose their crispness when frozen. The water inside the pepper cells expands when frozen and breaks the cell walls, changing the texture of the peppers.
This makes frozen peppers better for things like casseroles and stir fries where texture doesn’t matter as much, but don’t expect to defrost your peppers and use them in a salad or to dip in hummus!
Cooking your peppers before freezing them will give you a leg up flavor-wise. There are also many techniques you can use to freeze peppers, which will be discussed later on. So keep reading!
Is it better to freeze peppers raw or cooked?
Cooking peppers before freezing them can add a little extra flavor, but it isn’t necessary.
You can freeze peppers both raw or cooked. Cooking your peppers ahead of time will add some extra depth to the flavor of your dish when you use them again. That being said, it won’t cut down on cooking time.
You will get good results regardless of if you freeze your peppers raw or cooked.
Freezing your peppers cooked will add some extra flavor to your dish but it will still take the same amount of time to defrost or cook them from frozen. Grilling, charring, or baking your peppers before freezing are the best way to add a smoky flavor.
Is it better to freeze peppers whole or cut?
Once you’re ready to freeze peppers, your first question is almost certainly about prep. Can you freeze the peppers whole or do they need to be cut?
It’s better to freeze peppers cut than it is to freeze them whole. You can’t really do much with a whole frozen pepper because they lose their texture! But if you’re in a rush, freezing them whole will still do the trick.
It is better to freeze peppers cut up. Since peppers lose their crispness when you freeze them, there aren’t really any scenarios where you would want a mushy whole pepper!
On the other hand, cut peppers can come in handy regardless of texture.
Do frozen peppers get mushy?
Frozen peppers get mushy.
When they freeze, the water inside the cells expands and breaks the cell walls. This destroys the structural integrity of the pepper and makes it mushy.
This means that frozen peppers aren’t good for recipes or uses that depend on the texture rather than the flavor of the pepper. For example, you wouldn’t want to thaw a pepper and then try to make stuffed peppers with it.
Can you freeze hot peppers too?
You can freeze hot peppers.
Freezing peppers doesn’t affect capsaicin so your peppers will still be as hot as when you threw them in the freezer!
Again, they will lose their texture. Make sure you’re freezing the peppers in the form you’ll want to use them.
How long can you freeze peppers?
Once you freeze peppers, how long are they good for?
Frozen peppers can last over a year! That being said, there is a noticeable difference between peppers that were recently frozen and peppers that were frozen a long time ago.
Older peppers will perform better in recipes where they’re an element rather than the focus of the dish.
Do peppers lose flavor when frozen?
Peppers do not lose flavor when frozen.
There is no aspect of freezing peppers that would cause a loss of flavor.
The only thing you lose is crispness.
How to freeze peppers (4 Methods)
There are a few different ways to freeze peppers. Each method has its pros and cons- mainly prep time and future practicality.
Four ways to freeze peppers include:
- Freezing peppers whole
- Freezing peppers cut or diced
- Freezing peppers on a sheet
- Freezing peppers in a bag
Let’s talk more in-depth and you’ll see what we mean!
Freezing peppers whole
Freezing peppers whole is not ideal in most scenarios, but if you’re short on time it’ll still do the trick.
To freeze peppers whole, wash them and then dry them completely. Next – ideally – put each pepper in its own freezer bag. If you’re freezing multiple whole peppers, you can freeze them all in one bag or use the sheet method and then store them accordingly.
First, wash your pepper. Be sure to dry it off completely. Any leftover moisture will turn into ice in the freezer and cause freezer burn.
Now put your whole pepper in an individual freezer bag.
If you’re freezing multiple peppers whole, you can either freeze them on a sheet or in one bag.
Freezing peppers cut or diced
Freezing peppers cut or diced is your best bet by far.
Freezing peppers cut or diced is a great way to prepare a future meal – and you’ll have over a year to cook with them! Cutting or dicing your peppers ahead of time makes it easy to throw them in the pan later in your stir fry (or however you’re cooking with them).
Freezing peppers cut or diced sets you up for success when you want to cook with them later on.
You’ll need a sharp knife to cut your peppers safely. Either cut or dice your peppers to suit your needs.
Freeze them on a sheet or in a bag and they’ll be ready to go when it’s time to cook.
Freezing peppers on a sheet
Freezing peppers on a cookie sheet…who knew? Well, we did, and now you do too!
Freezing peppers on a sheet ensures that your peppers won’t stick to each other during the freezing process. Clean your peppers and dry them off completely. Then place them on a cookie sheet for a few hours in the freezer until they’re fully frozen. Now you can store them in bags without worrying about them becoming one big block!
Freezing peppers on a sheet is a great way to ensure your peppers don’t stick together in the freezer.
Place clean whole, cut, or diced peppers on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours until your peppers are completely frozen.
Now transfer your peppers into a freezer bag. Freezing them before putting them in the bag will help prevent them from sticking to each other in storage.
Freezing peppers in a bag
Freezing peppers in a bag will work in a pinch.
Freezing peppers in a bag can result in a solid block of peppers, but it’s quicker than freezing them on a sheet – and is your only option if you don’t have a cookie sheet! Use a large freezer bag and put clean whole, cut, or diced peppers inside. It’s crucial to dry your peppers after cleaning when utilizing this method.
Freezing peppers in a bag runs the risk of them sticking together in the freezer but helps you skip a step if you’re in a time crunch.
Put clean (and fully dry) whole, cut, or diced peppers in a large freezer bag. It’s that simple!
